Transaction processing system, transaction processing device, and information processing method

Abstract

A checkout system includes a mobile point-of-sale (POS) apparatus and a server. The mobile POS apparatus includes a beacon receiver, an operation panel, a wireless communication interface, and a processor configured to control the wireless communication interface to transmit a first signal indicating a particular user operation has been performed on the operation panel and a second signal indicating that the beacon receiver is receiving a beacon signal. The server is configured to perform a checkout operation upon receiving the first signal, while the second signal is also being received.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A checkout system, comprising:
 a mobile point-of-sale (POS) apparatus including:
 a beacon receiver; 
 an operation panel; 
 a wireless communication interface; and 
 a processor configured to control the wireless communication interface to transmit a first signal indicating a particular user operation has been performed on the operation panel and a second signal indicating that the beacon receiver is receiving a beacon signal; and 
   a server communicably connectable to the mobile POS apparatus, the server configured to perform a checkout operation upon receiving the first signal while the second signal is being received.   
     
     
         2 . The checkout system according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 a fixed point-of-sale station; and   a beacon transmitter configured to output the beacon signal, wherein   the checkout operation includes transmission of transaction data to the fixed point-of-sale station.   
     
     
         3 . The checkout system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the processor is further configured to control the wireless communication interface to transmit a third signal indicating a user selection on the operation panel to continue product registration, and   the server is configured to disable performance of the checkout operation for a predetermined period of time after the third signal is received.   
     
     
         4 . The checkout system according to  claim 3 , wherein
 the mobile POS apparatus further includes a code reader,   the processor is configured to control the wireless communication interface to transmit a fourth signal indicating a predetermined code has been read by the code reader after the predetermined code is read by the code reader, and   the server is configured to permit performance of the checkout operation upon receiving the fourth signal.   
     
     
         5 . The checkout system according to  claim 4 , further comprising:
 a fixed point-of-sale station;   a beacon transmitter configured to generate the beacon signal, wherein   the checkout operation includes transmission of the transaction data to the fixed point-of-sale station.   
     
     
         6 . The checkout system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile POS apparatus is mounted on a shopping cart. 
     
     
         7 . The checkout system according to  claim 1 , wherein the mobile POS apparatus is a hand-held information processing apparatus. 
     
     
         8 . The checkout system according to  claim 1 , wherein
 the mobile POS apparatus system further includes a code reader,   the processor is configured to control the wireless communication interface to transmit a third signal indicating a predetermined code has been read by the code reader after the third signal is read by the code reader, and   the server is configured to perform the checkout operation upon receiving the first signal if the third signal has been previously received.   
     
     
         9 . The checkout system according to  claim 8 , further comprising:
 a fixed point-of-sale station; and   a beacon transmitter configured to generate the beacon signal, wherein   the checkout operation includes transmission of the transaction data to the fixed point-of-sale station.   
     
     
         10 . The checkout system according to  claim 9 , wherein the mobile POS apparatus is mounted on a shopping cart. 
     
     
         11 . A method for performing a checkout operation at a store, comprising:
 transmitting a first signal indicating a user checkout operation has been requested on an operation panel of a mobile point-of-sale (POS) apparatus;   transmitting a second signal indicating that a beacon signal is being received by the mobile POS apparatus;   performing the user checkout operation if the second signal is being transmitted by the mobile POS apparatus.   
     
     
         12 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 storing transaction data for items registered using the mobile POS apparatus, wherein   the user checkout operation includes transmission of the transaction data to a fixed point-of-sale station.   
     
     
         13 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 transmitting a third signal from the mobile POS apparatus indicating a user operation on the operation panel requesting continuance of product registration on the mobile POS apparatus; and   pausing the performance of the user checkout operation for a predetermined period of time after the third signal is received.   
     
     
         14 . The method according to  claim 13 , further comprising:
 transmitting a fourth signal from the mobile POS apparatus indicating a predetermined code has been read by a code reader of the mobile POS apparatus system; and   resuming the checkout operation upon receiving the fourth signal.   
     
     
         15 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the mobile POS apparatus is mounted on a shopping cart. 
     
     
         16 . The method according to  claim 13 , wherein the mobile POS apparatus is a hand-held information processing apparatus. 
     
     
         17 . The method according to  claim 11 , further comprising:
 registering items in a sales transaction using a code reader of the mobile POS apparatus.   
     
     
         18 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 performing settlement processing for the sales transaction on the mobile POS apparatus.   
     
     
         19 . The method according to  claim 17 , further comprising:
 transmitting transaction data to a fixed point-of-sale station for settlement processing.   
     
     
         20 . The method according to  claim 19 , wherein a beacon transmitter for transmitting the beacon signal is positioned such that beacon signal can be received by the mobile POS apparatus only when the mobile POS apparatus is proximate to the fixed point-of-sale station.